Breadcrumbs

Permits

DCR Permits

DCR issues short-term and long-term permits for a variety of activities at DCR parks, beaches, forests, and reservations. Permits are issued for purposes ranging from one-day walk-athons, to seasonal construction access, to five-year commercial agreements.

Some permits are awarded through a competitive bidding process, and others are available upon request.

Each type of permit is administered by a different division of DCR, and the fees, seasonal schedule, and turnaround times vary. See DCR Permits for more information about permit types, fees, and schedules.

Watershed & Reservoir Permits

The Division of Water Supply Protection’s Office of Watershed Management manages and protects the drinking water supply watersheds for more than 2.2 million residents of Massachusetts, including the Quabbin Reservoir, Ware River, Wachusett Reservoir, and Sudbury Reservoir.

In order to protect the reservoirs' water quality and the watersheds' other special natural and cultural resources, permits are required for a variety of activities, such as, group access, vehicular access, night access, seasonal parking, and hunting.